New Delhi: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has stayed the Staff Selection Commission's (SSC) Combined Graduate Level Examination 2013, whose Tier-II exams were to be held on September 28-29, on allegations that the question paper of the first stage had been leaked.

A principal bench of members V Ajay Kumar and V N Gaur stayed the examination, conducted for recruitment of income tax inspectors, CBI sub-inspectors and Excise department inspectors, till further orders.

"In the circumstances and in the interests of justice and in view of the serious allegations, there shall be stay of all further proceedings in pursuance of the notification issued for Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2013, until further orders," the bench said.

The Tribunal noted that documents, put on record by petitioner Nitant Trivedi, "reveal there is prima facie case and that the police informed the Chairman, SSC that 14 persons were arrested and charge sheet filed against 11 persons in a court of Rohini, Delhi and that they are going to file supplementary charge sheet after further investigation."

The bench brushed aside the argument of SSC that even if they proceed with the selection process by conducting Tier-II examination, no harm will be caused to the applicant or to any of the candidates appearing in the examination.

Trivedi in his plea has sought holding of a fresh exam in light of question papers being leaked from three different centres including Delhi.

The petition filed through advocate N K Jha had contended that despite arrest of nine persons, including a policeman, in connection with the paper leak case on April 20, 2013, the SSC went ahead with the same question papers and conducted the examination, held on all India basis, on April 21.

Jha had argued before the bench that since there were serious lapses while conducting Tier-I exam held on April 21, the SSC should be restrained from proceeding further in conducting Tier-II exam.

The results of Tier-I exam were announced on August 26 and process of issue of admit cards has begun.